The Grand Forks Community Trails Society and Grand Forks & District Recreation have partnered once again to bring the community an interactive scavenger hunt highlighting some amazing hiking/biking trails in the Boundary. As promised, the first hike of four was released on Monday, May 1st, and will be featured for the entire month! Grab your hiking boots or your bike and head out to the Gilpin Grasslands Provinical Park where you will find the trail head for Bundschuh / Larry's Trail. It is on a south facing slope, so there is plenty of spring sunshine, making it one of the season's first trails dry enough to hike or bike. The park was created to protect a distinctive grassland ecosystem and maintain essential habitat for species-at-risk, including bighorn sheep. Look for them in the rocks above the trail, along with coyotes, deer, elk, gophers, snakes and rattlesnakes. Listen for meadowlarks and look for the pretty mountain bluebird and western bluebird. Wild roses and prickly pear cactus dot the landscape, along with saskatoon berry bushes. This moderate trail is 5 km one-way, going over bridged creeks and past burned landscape and is suitable for walkers, runners, and cyclists. While you’re on the trail, keep your eyes open for the hidden QR code where you can scan and enter to win one of four amazing prizes. Huge thanks to our sponsors; Work n’ Play Clothing, Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce, Grand Forks Beer Co. and WildWays Adventure Sports & Rentals.
ACCESS: Take Highway 3, approximately 9 km East of Grand Forks, to Gilpin Creek Forest Service Road (north side of the highway). Take the turn, go over the cattle guard and follow the road about 1 km to a parking lot with a pit toilet.
HIKE/BIKE: From the parking area, follow the road up the hill over another cattle guard, and look for the trail immediately on the right.
EXPLORE FURTHER: Start at the eastern end - look for a small pullout off Highway 3 and take the trail in reverse direction. You can also follow the Trans Canada Trail on the south side of the highway - there's a steep access down to a small parking area just west of Gilpin Creek Forest Service Road.
Check out the PDF Invitation
Bundschu on Trailforks.com
Steep sections at the start eventually level out to rolling hills while following the north-eastern shoreline of the lake. Giant cedar trees and great views. If you still have energy at Trapper Creek, a steep trail heads down to a marine campsite and swimming spot, adding 1.2 km to the hike length.
The 1.7% grade makes this trail family-friendly. Walk the historical rail bed, past mountainsides, curious small caves and other historical relics found dotted along the way. Great birdwatching can be had with trees lining the path on either side.
This heritage rail trail follows the Granby River south. From the parking area, follow the trail along the river. At 1 km mark, look for a public access trail to the river for swimming and fly-fishing. Watch for osprey and eagles. The trail ends 30 m above the river on the edge of a steep precipice, now fenced, that is the footing of the CPR trestle. The view is breathtaking and the artifacts amazing but keep away from the edge approaching the end of the trail.
This gentle trail passes through forests and grasslands with spectacular valley views. Flowers are everywhere, and look for bird nest boxes, water troughs and old fruit trees that still provide, from the Vancouver Victoria & Eastern Railway days. Spring melt can create some muddy sections so wear boots.
There are two trailheads for this hike - most common choice is the western point. Park at Saddle Lake and walk south to the trailhead, then follow the trails up the mountain. You can climb straight up, or take a series of switchbacking bike routes.
The eastern trailhead is off Hardy Mountain Road, about 750m west of North Fork Road. Park on the roadside and look for the trailhead on the left. This is a grind! Climb nearly 300m over 1.4 km!
This is a short trail off the TransCanada trail, but it does require effort to get to the trailhead! The destination is a lovely cool waterfall and creek through a natural forest filled with moss. You can get quite close to the falls, spectacular in full water, but offering pretty colours in fall and winter when the water flow dips or freezes.
The trail loops past the falls and back to the main trail making it a fun detour for those on the TCT, or a great destination if you start on foot or bike at Old North Fork Road where it intersects with Fisherman Creek FSR. Park there and head up either via the road, or take a pretty bike path that winds up and up to the rail grade. Look for the trailhead on the northwest corner of the intersection between the FSR and the TCT.
Maps (very hard to find!)
Known locally as the Grand Forks Grind, this trail "to the star" climbs 260m over about 2 km, with various options for making it a loop, adding length and difficulty. Park either at the top of 2nd Street, or at the Public Works building at the end of 8th Street (turn north onto 7th from Central, turn west on 76th Avenue, then take 8th north to the green works building and park there). From either spot you can hike the steep climb to the Perepelkin Bench, followed by the trail to the star. From the works yard you can take the Sunshine Trail
- a steep climb with nonstop-views. Wear good boots no matter what route you take, carry water, and watch for snakes. At the top of Observation, the star provides memorable and iconic viewpoints of the Kettle Valley and City below.
This route takes you to the peak of Goat Mountain, featuring wildflowers and views of the North Fork Valley and Grand Forks. The 2.5 kilometre trail (one-way) climbs 500 meters through open meadows and forests, sometimes following old railroad, mining and logging access roads and trails. While not busy, it's well used and easy to follow. There is a short section on a road; the trail continues about 300m along on the right as you go uphill.
The trailhead parking area is 5.2 kilometers north of Highway 3 on the North Fork Road. Follow the trail up to the North Fork section of the TransCanada Trail. Once you are at the TCT turn right (north) and you'll almost immediately come to the Goat Mountain trail heading up on your left.
This is a lovely wildflower-filled destination in spring, when the Marshall Lake cross-country ski network offers several options for hiking to the Dacha. There you'll get spectacular views of the Kettle Range of the Monashee Mountains that surround Grand Forks. Each intersection is well signed. Take the trail of your choice up to the Dacha, but return by the eastern leg of Grandview where another breathtaking viewpoint awaits. Parking is at the 10 km point of Phoenix Mountain Road, just east of Eholt Summit, halfway between Grand Forks and Greenwood. Keep straight on this gravel road until you see the cenotaph; at that point, take the right fork down to the lot where you'll find a helpful map on the kiosk.
Grand Forks & District Recreation Office 2020 Central Avenue, Grand Forks, B.C. V0H 1H0
Mailing Address: Box 1486, Grand Forks, B.C. V0H 1H0
Recreation Office / Arena - 250.442.2202